How to Build Wainscoting

One of the most popular decorative accents for a room is wainscoting. It is a great way for protecting plaster or drywall, and it adds an elegant touch. The most basic type of wainscoting can be built by a homeowner without assistance from a high priced carpenter. The following guidelines will help you to complete this lovely home project.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood Trim boards Finishing nails

Instructions

1. Measure your space. Generally speaking, the top of your wainscoting should be even with the furthest back part of your tallest chair that may be placed near the wall. The exception to this rule is if the room is particularly tall. In particularly tall rooms, it is better to make the top of your wainscoting sit at a point approximately 1/3 of the height of the shortest of the major walls, or 4 feet and ¾ inch, whichever comes first. Figure out how large you want your rectangles or squares to be, based on the length of your room lengths. You will want all of your rectangles to be the same length on a single wall, and the perpendicular walls should have rectangles close to the same length.

2. Cut your plywood to your recorded measurements. It's easiest if you do this first. In most cases you will be dealing with "one-side good" plywood. Mark your measurements on the bad side before cutting.

3. Install your plywood base. You will need a ¾ inch shim to install the wainscoting base off of the ground far enough to install flooring underneath, or a 1/8 inch shim if the floor is pre-installed. Set your plywood pieces on top of the shims while installing and leave about 1/8 inch between each board as you install. It's fine for the seams to be there as you will be covering them with more boards that form the rectangles.

4. Install your battens to form horizontal sections of a rectangle. These are generally installed flush with the top and bottom of the wainscoting. Be sure to attach the pieces level to the top and bottom, as the top trim or ledge will not sit correctly otherwise. In some cases, for a tiered effect, you will install two levels of thin boards of differing widths rather than one of a thicker depth. If so, you will want to pre-attach the horizontal boards, placing the boards together at center and trimming off one side to make it level.

5. Install your vertical battens, covering the plywood seams. Your verticals should sit tightly inside of the horizontal battens. If installing two levels, then attach the second level centered to the first.

6. Install your top trim piece or pieces. Nail or screw them parallel to the wall, being sure to also toenail nails into the top of your trim rail and the wall itself.

7. Putty and sand the seams, or else, if simply staining, then go to the next step.

8. Paint or stain your newly created wainscoting.